In a season of big-budget flops, “Hell or High Water” is the most purely enjoyable movie of the Summer. On a budget less than one-tenth that of “Suicide Squad,” “Independence Day 2,” and various other trash spectacles promising thrills but leaving me with a numb feeling—like I’d just watched someone else have the time of their…
Author: Alabama Liberal
Movie Review: “Don’t Think Twice” Perhaps the Best Comedy About Comedy
As someone who’s on the peripheral edge of being a comedian, I’ve always sought-out films, TV shows, books, or anything that can give us a peek behind the The Order of the Clowns, an exclusive unisex fraternity that has been breached in films from the biopic “Lenny” to Seinfeld’s documentary “Comedian” to Marc Maron’s podcast…
Movie Review: Can “Jason Bourne” Get Beyond Himself?
A few years back, when Jeremy Renner tried his hand as a Bourne-replacement in “The Bourne Legacy” I wrote an article about just how damn similar all the Bourne movies were—same basic plot, American character-actor CIA baddie, more internatonal-character actor rival assassin, outlandish car chase through a city towards the end with more hand-to-hand fights…
Movie Review: Kubo and the Two Strings
A beautifully-animated movie that will probably appeal more to adults than kids. What Works: The visual style is the main draw here, and it is enhanced by an actual theater experience, getting to see all the incredibly nuanced visual details. From the movie’s opening moments—an immense ocean wave sweeping over the audience—it lulls you into a…
Movie Review: Sausage Party
It’s so tough to review a movie that does everything exactly right until the ending, and then blows it. Do you grade the 95% of the movie you really loved or the last 5% you rememebered as the last thing you saw before leaving the theater? What Works: Seth Rogen wanted to make a movie about the stupidity…
Movie Review: “Nerve” Just Might Make You Feel Young Again
Sure, sure, sure, maaaaaybe it would have been nice to post this review back when the movie was in theaters. If you’re into that sort of thing, but why be so predictable as all that? What Works: The movie is about a virtual game of “Dare” (there’s very little truth) where people offer you money to…
Quick Reviews: Race, Eddie the Eagle
Two films about Olympians that—bizarrely—were released back in February, when nobody yet was caring about Rio. Why didn’t the studios release these movies closer to the actual games? A question that may have no answer… Race…Solid, if a little sleepy. Jason Sudekis phones it in as Jesse Owens’ grouchy coach, and you never really see…
Quick Reviews: Finest Hour, Hail Caesar, Barbershop 3
Every now and then, a film slips through the cracks–sometimes I don’t see it, sometimes I don’t want to see it (until later), or sometimes I see it but am just not inspired to write a review until months after a film is relevant–but I catch up with it eventually…If these three have anything in…
300 at 30: Episode 8–Gyms, Almost as Much Fun as North Korean Prisons
In episode 8 I lay out my love/hate relationships with gyms, minus the love, and talk about faux-inspiration fitness, gym bullies, hamster wheel feel, and what you should aim for…
300 at 30: Episode 7–Kate Moss, Philosopher? Watch Your Back Plato
Was Kate Moss right when she said “being skinny feels better than anything tastes?” Does she deserve a medal for not pretending supermodels eat anything but cigarette smoke? And should Plato, Socrates, and the rest of the greats be nervous about losing their position in the philosophy hall of fame?
300 at 30: Episode 6–The Looking Glass Self
What is the Looking Glass Self? Find out how it affects your weight loss and your life…
300 at 30: Episode 5–“Lawyering” Weight Loss Goals
Do you “lawyer” your New Year’s Resolutions, diet plans, and fitness goals? Find out how to stop (or what the hell I’m talking about if you said “huh?” to the first question).
Petty Issues: Democratic National Convention Edition
After Tim Kaine gave part of his VP acceptance speech in Spanish, Ann Coulter went furiously to work on her new book “How Tim Kaine Conspired with Hondurans to Ruin America! A Liberal Plot.” Seeing every big name Democrat in the known universe give speeches at the DNC this week seems a little lop-sided with…